US 6,092,734 AGranted

Manifold for connecting circuits of a central heating system

AssigneeMonard (Research & Development) Limited

InventorHarold A Rea

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Abstract

A manifold connects three boiler circuits and a heat exchanger circuit and an indirect cylinder heated exchanger circuit of a central heating system together. The manifold comprises a container which defines a hollow interior region which is divided by a horizontally extending partition plate into an upper flow water region and a lower return water region. First ports are provided for connecting flow pipes of the circuits into the flow water region of the manifold and second ports are provided for connecting the return pipes of the circuits into the return water region of the manifold. A communicating opening and apertures in the partition plate communicate the flow and return water regions. The partition plate stratifies the water within the hollow interior region so that the hottest flow water is above while the cooler return water is below the partition plate. The manifold forms neutral pressure point in the system so that the circuit can operate independently of each other, while at the same the circuit operate in association with the boiler circuits.

A manifold (1) for connecting at least two circuits (3 to 7) of a liquid, heat transfer medium central heating system (2) in which the circuits (3 to 7) each comprise a flow line (15) and a return line (16), so that at least some of the circuits (3 to 7) can function independently of each other and at least some of the circuits (3 to 7) can function in association with each other, the manifold (1) comprising a container (20) defining an enclosed hollow interior region (25) for the heat transfer medium, and a plurality of pairs of first and second ports (35, 36, 70, 73) to the hollow interior region (25) for connecting the respective circuits (3 to 7) into the hollow interior region (25), the first ports (35, 70) being provided for connecting the flow lines (15) of the respective circuits (3 to 7) to the hollow interior region (25), and the second ports (36, 73) being provided for connecting the return lines (16) of the respective circuits (3 to 7) into the hollow interior region (25), characterised in that a partitioning means (28) extends transversely of the hollow interior region (25) for dividing the hollow interior region (25) into a flow heat transfer medium region (29) and a return heat transfer medium region (30), the respective regions (29, 30) communicating with each other through a communicating means (32, 38) in the partitioning means (28), the first ports (35, 70) communicating with the flow heat transfer medium region (29), and the second ports (36, 73) communicating with the return heat transfer medium region (30) and at least one of the first ports (35, 70) is located in a wall (22) of the container (20) which forms part of the return heat transfer medium region (30), and a first connecting pipe (37) extends from each of said first ports (35, 70) through the return heat transfer medium region (30) and through the partitioning means (28) for communicating the respective said first ports (35, 70) with the flow heat transfer medium region (29).

Abstract

Claims20